1885. D. Teleg., 20 Oct. The modest pulpit of an English church is as yet a rarity, for the complicated and extensive 'three-decker' is still in use all over the country.
1888. W.S. Ogden, Antique Furniture, 32. A three-decker sideboard, about 1700.
1896. Kipling, Seven Seas, 'The Three-Decker' [Title et passim].
Three-draws-and-a-spit, subs.
phr. (common).—A cigarette.
Three F's (The), subs. phr.
(political).—1. The demands of
the Irish Land League: Free Sale,
Fixity of Tenure, and Fair Rent:
practically conceded by Mr
Gladstone's Land Act (1881).
2. (vulgar).—'Fuck, Fun, and a Footrace.'
Three-legged Stool. To comb
one's head with a three-legged
stool (or joint-stool),
verb. phr. (old).—A humorous
threat of punishment. For
quots. see Comb one's hair.
Three Trees (The), subs. phr.
(old).—The gallows (B. E. and
Grose). Also three-legged
stool; three-cornered tree;
three-legged mare (also two-legged
mare, and mare with
three legs), the Tyburn tree,
and triple tree: see Nubbing-cheat.
[Executions at Tyburn
were abandoned in 1783, and
thenceforward (in London) till
1868 took place in front of Newgate:
see quot. 1785.]
1582. Breton, Toyes of an Idle Head, 28. For commonly such knaues as these Doe end their lyves vpon three trees.
1654. Witts Recreations [Nares]. And from the fruit of the three corner'd tree, Vertue and goodness still deliver me.
1685. Brown, Works, iv. 243. If your sadness does proceed from fear Of being mounted on a three-legg'd mare.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. iv. Gaol birds . . . made to ride the two or three-legged mare that groans for them.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Three-legged mare. . . . This clumsy machine has given place to an elegant contrivance called the new drop, by which the use of that vulgar vehicle, a cart, or mechanical instrument a ladder, is also avoided; the patients being left suspended by the dropping down of that part of the floor on which they stand. This invention was first made use of for a peer.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, 'The Game of High Toby.' For the mare with three legs, boys, I care not a rap.
189[?]. Henley, Carmen Patibulare. Tree, old tree of the triple crook, And the Rope of the Black Election.
Three-out. See Out.
Three-penny (or Three-halfpenny),
adj. phr. (old).—Common,
vulgar; in little
esteem; of little worth: cf.
'three-inch fool' (Shakspeare,
Tam. Shrew, iv 1). Hence
three-penny planet = an un-*propitious
augury; three-halfpenny-horse-loaf
(in contempt
of an undersized person).
d. 1555. Latimer, Remains [Parker], 29. [A curate's wages, nine or ten pounds may be earned by some] three-halfpenny priest.
1630. Taylor, Works [Nares]. Some men (being borne under a three-*penny planet) can neither by paines, watching, labour, or any industry, be worth a groat.
Threepenny Upright (or Bit)
(venery).—An act of coition
taken standing with a threepenny
whore: cf. perpendicular and
knee-trembler (Grose).
Three-ply, subs. (American).—A
Mormon having three wives.
